Sunday, August 25, 2013

I love cupcakes so I'm gonna keep making them as long as you all will eat them. And it seems to me that since I've learned a little about cake decorating that you like them even more. So thank you +Wilton for teaching me to make my cupcakes both tasty and pretty.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

I love good food and as I try to improve the quality of my dishes, I learn more about ingredients and nutrition. For me, learning to make marinara sauce marked this shift in attitude. Saturday night, instead of socializing or pursuing entertainment, my fellow foodie and I spent the evening preparing vegan food made from scratch. And then photographing our creations to enter the recipe contest. Just about everything we used was organic, and definitely vegan. Also, each recipe has ingredients you can recognize by name and remember off the top of your head.

Thanks to the companies who make the food I keep in my kitchen. Using these products helps me feel better about what I cook and share with my friends and family. And thank you to Follow Your Heart for inviting me to participate. I had fun making the pizza, and helping with the biscuits, as well as taking a day trip to the SFV to buy your shreds at the Follow Your Heart Market and Cafe.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

My Abuela was born in Mexico to Italian immigrants so her food always had that Mediterranean touch of almonds, olives, capers and dried fruits. This dish does not come from her, but her influence, and in no way is it a recipe I've ever seen before, I just like the flavors in the rice and enjoy being able to make something tasty from pantry ingredients when the refrigerator is feeling lonely.

Toast the rice in olive oil until golden brown. Add the other ingredients and stir to warm Add 2 cups water and bouillon or broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a slow simmer, let cook for about half an hour. Check the rice by tilting the pot to see if there is still water at the bottom. If the rice at the top hasn't broken, add more broth or water and let simmer, checking every few minutes. if the rice has broken but you still have water in the pot, uncover and raise the flame to cook it off without stirring. When you turn off the flame, let the rice sit covered for about 5 minutes to rest. Rice can be tricky so use your own method if it works for you.